ThunderBat Posted May 3, 2004 Report Share Posted May 3, 2004 Well I just got back from our vacation to Asheville NC and I have to say I'm less than impressed with my Lumina. It wasn't all bad, as a matter of fact it did get pretty darn good gas mileage. Considering the mountainous terrain, I dont think that 27-28mpg was too shabby at all. But like most things in life there is always a trade off. The 3.1 aint no torque monster for sure. For most mountain grades I was back in 3rd gear humming at 3grand or so on the tach just to maintain speed...and I mean 50-55 here, not 65-70. Forget about passing on the uphill grades. The handling on the twisty roads was also less than spectacular, although I must admit the car has 118k on it and I have no idea if the struts have ever been changed. The rear of the car sags so the springs can't be top notch either. For the interstate highway portions of the trip the car was better than adequate. It cruises nicely at 70 or so mph without floating and the exhaust making a nice note without being intruding. A trip like this is always a good gauge for showing a cars' weaknesses and strengths. It lets you know where you need to spend your money next. In my case I think I'm gonna do what needs to be done to this car as far as its needed maintenance goes. I'm now more certain than ever that I want to step up to a Grand Prix (maybe even a GTP!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted May 3, 2004 Report Share Posted May 3, 2004 my car does excellent i think on the highway, 28-30, and around town the last few fill-ups its gotten 20-23. so im impressed. yeah, the 3.1 aint no torque filled engine. Once i sell this, my next car will def. be a newer gp. but actually mine handles really well. taking 20mph corners at 45-50 it is quite tight. Now theres a little more body roll, so i think somethings going bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluegp Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 I'm not impressed with the performance of my '96 Lumina. It has no low end grunt. My '89 GP with 40K more miles has more low end. From a take off with light to moderate pedal, it goes into 2nd too early & the engine lugs. It won't get out of it's own way unless the pedal is held floored & the trans finally decides it wants to downshift. Sometimes it even goes into 3rd too soon & you find yourself having to press the gas down even more just to keep it from slowing down. On the highway, in OD, any moderate incline requires the pedal to be almost floored to keep a constant speed. I do not like the shifting characteristics of this car. I haven't checked, but maybe it has a wimpy final drive ratio. If you drive like a granny, it would all be fine. For me, I think it would be a much more enjoyable car if it had a 3.8 with more power & less (lifter/piston slap) noise. On the other hand, the car does handle pretty well even with the softer suspension. My GP is stiffer, but I think the Lumina will take a corner just as fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 yeah, mine has a good amount of off the line torque, but yeah once overdrive kicks in, it takes the pedal almost full throttle to get any noticeable speed gain. once you feel the increase though, it takes off, at least mine does. the F41 suspension in mine does a great job around corners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Rockstar Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 I hate that OD thing.. My car is actually givin me some tranny problems I think. It "hops" gears.. Like it can't decide wha to do.. Hell.. Last night around 8 I was headin to a friend's house.. i was rollin onto the hiway, down hill on the on ramp.. I squeeze the gas, and it hops into like first!!! It jerked me pretty good, and I'm all like, what the fuck?! And the whole way, it just felt "off" and couldn't make up it's mind.. I hate to hijack, but had to put it in because it reminded me! But yea, in OD, it has no noticeable speed gain until the trans upshifts into 3rd.. Then it takes off like a mofo! That is when my car's not havin a fit.. lol! EDIT: THought I'd add that my 90 w/ the F41 suspension OUTHANDLES my friends 97 Lumi LS! I can take twisties at like 55-60.. His car is rollin side to side!! LOL!! and hes up to 40.. the best he can do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 When it comes to shifting, I'm not sure, because I've only ever driven my Grand Prix, but I like it a lot. I push half throttle, and I'm in third almost instantly. It's fun going 65 or so on the interstate, pressing down halfway, shifting, getting more speed, then feeling the car bounce as it shifts back into OD. I'm not sure if that's a good thing :oops: but I do drive the car fairly hard, and before I replaced both tranny axle seals, the car was driven a couple times on low tranny fluid, so I'm sure the transmission isn't mint anymore (anyone else here get tired of saying "tranny" repeatedly rather than "transmission"??) Of course, in the mornings it sucks a camel's dick, because something in my transmission is stuck when it's cold, and I can't shift up past second. Literally, I'll be on the highway going around 60 and I'll be up around 6200 RPM. Once I laid on the throttle getting on an onramp, and it stuck in first!!!!!! I was bouncing off the rev limiter at 45 MPH, having to let off speed then get back on until I hit the limiter again, just to make sure other cars wouldn't hit me! I really would love to have a manual transmission.... please??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluegp Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 When it comes to shifting, I'm not sure, because I've only ever driven my Grand Prix, but I like it a lot. In comparision with my '96 Lumina, my '89 GP shifts a lot nicer even before the trans was rebuilt. I does what you want it to do and is more predictable. It downshifts nicely for acceleration unlike the Lumina which downshifts more violently because it needs to be floored. The '96 has given me the impression that I don't like the electronic trans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1234 Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 Well i feel that considering it is a family sedan, i wouldn't expect it to be anything great. My 3.1 has gobs of torque and i can break the tires lose whenever i feel the need. Even today at lunch after i dropped my friend off, i spun them leaving the driveway and there was smoke bellowing in the window And the reason that you have to give it so much gas when it is in OD is because the 4t60 or 4t60E have such a tall OD so that when we are going down the freeway at 65, we are only running at 2grand. Not meant for driving up mountains. Thats why we get 28 and up mpg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91oldscutlass Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 I have to say my Cutlass is slower than my 89 Gp. But as fer as handling...it can take a corner with no body roll..and the car is comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 Well i feel that considering it is a family sedan, i wouldn't expect it to be anything great. They all have the same powertrain in them though. Coupe or sedan, it's pretty much the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regalized Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 i heard some of you saying when your car is in od you have to push the gas like 1/2 way or more to get it to downshift, in my regal i only have to push ot ike an inch further than it is and it downshifts to second, is that normal, it doesnt slam into second but it takes off, and yes i know it is in second gear lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 i heard some of you saying when your car is in od you have to push the gas like 1/2 way or more to get it to downshift, in my regal i only have to push ot ike an inch further than it is and it downshifts to second, is that normal, it doesnt slam into second but it takes off, and yes i know it is in second gear lol That sounds like a problem with your downshift cable. If I really want to go, I gotta floor it for it to go to second. Do you have a three-speed? Or do I smell Either that or you got an exaggeration problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 Thats why we get 28 and up mpg. explain to me how you get gas milage like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1234 Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 There isn't much to explain. You put the car in D, and don't drive like a jew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 even when i drive like grandma, i still get crap gas milage my car has always got crap gas milage. it did when my great aunt owned it, and when my grandfather owned it oh well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regalized Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 sometimes i even wonder why i explain anything on here, yes it drops to second, i feel it upshift twice after it accelerates, all i was asking is if that was normal, why would i bullshit you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 sometimes i even wonder why i explain anything on here, yes it drops to second, i feel it upshift twice after it accelerates, all i was asking is if that was normal, why would i bullshit you? The bullshit comment was more or less an excuse to utilize that emoticon. Now what I'm wondering is why are you dropping TWO gears with very little throttle... or maybe you've got it close to floored already. I don't know, I've never driven a Regal, but I'm gonna say that's not normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regalized Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 well the gas would be like half way to the floor and i push it a little more and thats what happens, it dont slam into 2nd, and it only stays in 2nd for a second or two , but i wasnt sure what would cause it though, new fluid and filter not even a month ago along with a modulator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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